Center for Child & Family Wellness

The intent of this Imperative is to protect wild and ecologically significant places and encourage ecological regeneration and enhanced function of the communities and places where projects are built.

This project contributes positively to the ecology of place by restoring the ecological performance of the site towards and healthy ecological baseline.

Landscaping materials and plants have been chosen to recreate the Sonoran Desert environment and support the ecology that has evolved together over eons. A pollinator garden has been incorporated on the roof deck to support the flourishing of creatures vital to the health of ecosystems.

No petrochemical fertilizers or pesticides can be used for the operation and maintenance of the on-site landscape.

The intent of this Imperative is to contribute toward the creation of walkable, pedestrian-oriented communities that reduce the use of fossil fuel vehicles.

The project has incorporated EV car chargers and bike racks to support these modes of transport that contribute towards better air quality in the city. In addition street trees are planted to provide shaded pedestrian travel around the site and spaces for community gathering are incorporated into the project such as the courtyard, dance space and roof garden.

The intent of this Imperative is to encourage projects to treat water like a precious resource, minimizing waste and the use of potable water, while avoiding downstream impacts and pollution.

The Child Crisis Center uses 45% less water than a similar building which is super important in our desert environment. The water feature in the courtyard is from captured rain water and will be used for irrigation in the courtyard. Nearly all of the rain that falls on the site is captured in a 30,000 gallon underground cistern and is used for the desert landscaping. All of the plumbing fixtures in the building are high efficiency (lavatories and toilets) and some, such as the urinals, use no water at all, saving hundreds of gallons a day. In addition, the water from lavatories, showers and condensate from AC units is all captured and used in the landscape too.

The intent of this Imperative is to treat energy as a precious resource and minimize energy related carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

The Child Crisis Center made a commitment early in the design to achieve a Net Zero Energy project. This means that the building produces more energy in a year than it uses. Every element in the building was considered to achieve this goal including the building envelope, shading systems (including the Art Façade) and high efficiency AC systems. The 290 kW renewable energy system incorporates battery storage and was designed to enable critical systems in the building to run off solar power for an extended period thus becoming a resiliency hub for the community.

In addition through thoughtful design and the incorporation of many wood elements the Center has reduced its embodied carbon footprint by more than 20% compared to a similar building.

The intent of this Imperative is to promote good indoor air quality and a healthy interior environment for project occupants.

Knowing the substantial human wellness benefits of daylighting and views the design team made a priority goal to incorporate into every space possible, going even as far as providing windows in spaces that are typically ignored, such as the prep kitchen and even restrooms! You will find ample daylight and views anywhere you are in the building.

In addition the Center has been designed with excellent air quality as the goal. Material selection was carefully considered to eliminate toxic and potentially harmful ingredients to the greatest extent possible in our current manufacturing climate.

The intent of this Imperative is to set a baseline for transparency, sustainable extraction, support of local industry and waste diversion for all projects.

The materials we use in construction can affect people and planet in so many ways. Those effects are not always negative when project teams are thoughtful in the execution. Core imperative 6 is structured to positively impact people and planet through a number of initiatives:

Over 20 of the products used in the construction have Declare Label or a Living Product Certification, which is like a nutrition label for food telling us everything that is in it. All other product manufacturers received a letter requesting they disclose their ingredients and identify any Red List content.

Nearly 100% of all of the wood products in the building are Forest Stewardship Council certified or salvaged.

More than 25% of the materials come from within 300 miles of the construction site.

And nearly 50% of the construction waste material was diverted from the landfill.

The intent of this Imperative is to allow equitable access to, and protections from any negative impacts resulting from the development of, Living Building projects.

Besides all of the provisions in the project that accommodate people with physical disabilities the project has incorporated a number of features that enhance the public domain. Street trees are planted around the project to enhance the pedestrian experience. In addition art has been incorporated into the façade of the building through the shading devices that incorporate inspirational words and a giant hummingbird!

The intent of this Imperative is to help create stable, safe, and high-paying job opportunities for people in the local community, and support local diverse businesses through hiring, purchasing, and workforce development practices.

Two of the project team organizations have acquired a JUST label for their firms (Architectural Resource Team and Sazan Group). Several other organizations have completed a self-assessment to understand their baseline.

The intent of this Imperative is to connect teams and occupants with the benefits of biophilia and incorporate meaningful biophilic design elements into the project.

Biophilic design integrates natural elements, patterns, and processes into built environments to reconnect people with nature. It’s based on the concept of biophilia—our innate need to affiliate with life and natural systems. (click here for more about biophilic design).

From the tree columns at the entry to the irresistible stair in the lobby there is reference to nature throughout the project. Views to the courtyard connect nearly every space to nature. The pond-like forms in the concrete in the lobby, the wood structure throughout, the natural stone on the stairs, and the laser cut patterns all resonate with natural forms and materials. Walk through the building and see how many references you can find. The shade canopies designed to provide the dappled shade of a tree will reveal a hidden bird if you look closely.

The intent of this Imperative is to provide educational materials about the operation and performance of the project to the occupants and the public in order to share successful solutions and catalyze broader change.

You are engaged in part of this imperative right now! Thank you!